More than a year before the current crisis, Citizens’ Committee for
Children of New York began working collaboratively with residents,
community-based organizations, and other partners on a community-based
assessment of the most pressing needs of children and their families
living in Elmhurst/Corona, Queens. This assessment illuminated many of
the factors which have amplified risks to children and families in
this pandemic – not just in Elmhurst/Corona, but in
communities across New York City.

The community-based assessment revealed how, alongside a rich
landscape of family-focused service providers and resources in this
vibrant, majority-immigrant community, families face a multitude of
challenges: nearly two in three children lived in households in or
near poverty; residents were disproportionately working in lower-wage
professions; one in four households were overcrowded; many adults
lacked health insurance coverage; and the demand for critically
important early education, afterschool, and behavioral health programs
outstripped supply. The current crisis heightens the urgency to
address these needs with solutions we have already elevated from
community members –
just to name three out of dozens listed in our summative report:

Ensuring that families experiencing food insecurity have access to
nutrition assistance or emergency food programs regardless of
federal policy proposals that seek to make it more difficult for
families to receive support.

Promoting efforts that ensure access to affordable health care,
including through public choice health insurance plans or public
programs that guarantee low-cost or no-cost services at public
health care providers and regardless of immigration status.

We know from our partners in Elmhurst/Corona that the need and effort
to put into place these solutions have only grown during this crisis;
we are also encouraged to see how many organizations have stepped up
to continue serving the community in the current context. Many
programs at
ElmCor Youth and Adult Activities,
Public Health Solutions , and
Forestdale’s family services
remain open with social distancing measures in place, and provide
bolstered, telehealth options for assessments and counseling. The
Queens Public Library
expanded their digital resources
and the New York Hall of Science also compiled a host of
free online resources
for families to engage in learning and diversion.

These services are so important during this time, and so too is
strengthening and investing in resources that address the challenges
that families faced prior to COVID-19. The consequences of this crisis
are potentially devastating for Elmhurst/Corona and similar
communities that were already experiencing higher rates of low-wage
work, food insecurity, housing instability, and barriers to accessing
health care.

Economic and Food Insecurities

Industry of Workers

Where do people work in Elmhust/Corona compared to Queens and the
rest of NYC
19%
11%
9%
15%
26%
16%
15%
26%
12%
14%
Elmhurst/Corona
Queens
NYC

Hover over legend to highlight corresponding data.

Touch legend to highlight corresponding data.

In Elmhurst/Corona, nearly two in three children live in households
that are in or near poverty (or below $50,000 for a family of four).
Compared to the rest of the city, workers living in the area are
disproportionately employed in hospitality services and
construction
— industries that were already more likely to offer lower wages
and minimal benefits, and which may now have lost thousands of jobs
under state-mandated lockdown orders.

The current pandemic has the potential to heighten the economic
insecurity of many more families in the area than were already in need
of support. History tells us that the consequences of an economic
downturn may be acutely felt in a working-class community like
Elmhurst/Corona: in just five years following the 2007-2008 Global
Financial Crisis, the number of households in poverty rose nearly 40%
in the district.

With another economic crisis in motion, access to food and income
supports are now essential. In parts of Elmhurst/Corona, there is only
one large food retail location serving tens of thousands of residents.

*Note:This estimate reflects only the portion of Elmnhurst-Maspeth
neighborhood that overalaps with Queens Community District 4.

SNAP Coverage by Neighborhood

In addition to the demands on an under-resourced food system, food
insecurity is also an affordability issue. In areas like Corona and
North Corona, more than a quarter of all households are enrolled in
the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, or Food Stamps).
Some community resources providing emergency food assistance have had
to close, and enrollment in SNAP and other nutrition assistance
programs has moved online or over the phone since in-person
appointments are cancelled.

Inseguridades Económicas y Alimentarias

Industria de los trabajadores

Where do people work in Elmhust/Corona compared to Queens and the
rest of NYC
19%
11%
9%
15%
26%
16%
15%
26%
12%
14%
Elmhurst/Corona
Queens
NYC

Housing Instability

Housing-related stressors and risks to family well-being were among
those most frequently raised in our conversations with residents of
Elmhurst/Corona. The district has one of the highest rates of
overcrowding – or rental units housing more than one person per room.
This has been the case since 2005, and overcrowding is
disproportionately high in immigrant communities, including and
especially in Elmhurst/Corona and nearby Jackson Heights, Queens.

Share of Overcrowded Rental Housing in New York City and Communities

This poses a particular barrier to adhering to social distancing
guidelines if a family member is infected at home. Furthermore, high
rates of overcrowding underscore the dire need for more affordable
housing in the community, especially for the nearly 5,000 students who
lack stable housing in the school district – 84% of whom are
temporarily living with relatives or neighbors due to economic
hardship. These temporarily housed students and more than 100,000
others like them experience
unique challenges
with remote learning during this crisis, as they may lack access to a
reliable internet connection, or a personal device to call their own,
or both.

Health Vulnerabilities

Access to health care is on the top of mind for many New Yorkers right
now. While the city has made strides in expanding access to health
insurance, some communities continue to report higher rates of
uninsured adults and children, which may be a barrier to seeking
health care. In Elmhurst/Corona, there are more uninsured residents
than anywhere else in the city – and alarmingly, these numbers saw an
increase in 2018.

Uninsured Rates for General Population and Children Under 19

Uninsured by Neighborhood

Of the uninsured population in Elmhurst/Corona, 88% are foreign-born
and 74% are Hispanic/Latinx. In tandem with the concerning findings
from CCC’s Keeping Track of New York City’s Children: 2020
(Click here to download the digital book)
that Asian children and non-citizen children are disproportionately
uninsured citywide, these facts make plain the clear need for
culturally and linguistically appropriate outreach and services in
immigrant-majority communities – especially in the midst of a public
health crisis.

Investments at the federal, state, and local level are needed to
support the needs and strengths of Elmhurst/Corona and similar
communities facing the COVID-19 outbreak

The lessons learned from Elmhurst/Corona must shape policy solutions
in order to meet the immediate needs of families and children, support
frontline health and humans service providers who make up the robust
community infrastructure on the ground, and address the mounting
crises of economic precarity, housing insecurity, and barriers to
health care that not only predated this crisis, but are likely to
worsen because of it.

As Elmhurst/Corona has come into the limelight of New York City’s
COVID-19 response, it’s critical that we not forget the pre-existing
factors that have compounded the crisis – not just in this unique part
of Queens, but for
a number of neighborhoods in different boroughs. These areas are home to Black, Latino, and immigrant populations,
working in hospitality and related service industries, living in
overcrowded housing, with higher rates of uninsured adults. Any viable
path forward from this moment must take heed of the recommendations
from residents of Elmhurst/Corona. These entail significant
investments from all levels of government so that families and
children can not only stay afloat, but thrive going forward.